Civics ALL Vocab

Government

The person or group who has power over citizens

Theocracy

Government rules by religious doctrine or religious leaders

Direct Democracy

People rule, or vote on laws, not elected officials

Representative Democracy

Government ruled by elected officials (also called Indirect Democracy)

Dictatorship

Government ruled by a person having complete control

Totalitarian

A government that controls everything; people have little or no say

Monarchy

Government whose leader was born into power

Colony

People living in one place who are ruled by a country somewhere else

Compact

An agreement

Social contract

An agreement between a government and its citizens

Natural rights

Rights a person has just by being born such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

Parliament

Representative legislature of Great Britain

Mercantilism

British economic theory of selling (exports) more than it buys (imports)

Refugee

A person who flees their country because of war, famine, or natural disaster

Naturalization

The process for becoming a citizen

Civics

The study of rights and responsibilities of citizens

Salutary Neglect

British policy of loose control over the colonies, the colonies were able to rule themselves

Rule of Law

Everyone, including government officials, must obey the law

Popular Sovereignty

The people have the power

Checks and Balances

Three branches, with distinct roles, use their powers to keep each other from abusing powers

Federalism

Two levels of government, state and national, with national (federal) being supreme

Concurrent Powers

Powers granted to both state and federal governments (taxing, parks, courts, etc.)

Expressed Powers

Powers given to the national government in the US Constitution

Reserved Powers

Powers of the states (10^th amendment, schools, election process, highways, etc.)

Implied Powers

Suggested powers of Congress; not specifically written in Constitution

Preamble

An introduction to a document

supremacy Clause

Article VI, Clause 2 of – national government overrules states if there is a conflict

Elastic Clause

Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18 – grants Congress power to pass laws on issues not stated in Constitution; implied power

Exercise Clause

1st Amendment – Americans have the right to exercise and practice whatever religion they wish without interference from the government.

Establishment Clause

1st Amendment – there can be no establishment of a national religion in the United States

Exclusionary Rule

Evidence obtained illegally and without a warrant can be excluded from trial

Eminent Domain

The right of the government to take land for public use.

Suffrage

The right to vote

Liberties

Rights and freedom granted to citizens in the Constitution

Petition

The right of citizens to voice their disagreement  with the government

Slander

Spoken lies that harm a person’s reputation

Libel

Written lies that harm a person’s reputation

Civil

Dealing with citizens

Incumbent

A politician who has already been elected to office: The person currently holding the office

Caucus

A meeting of political party members to conduct party business

Absentee Ballot

A way for voters to cast a ballot without going to the polls on Election Day

Primary Election

An election held before the general election, where political parties select their candidates

General Election

The election where leaders are voted into office

Popular Vote

The actual number of votes a candidate receives

Apathy

A lack of interest (often a reason people do not vote)

Referendum

A way for citizens to vote on state or local laws directly

Initiative

A procedure by which citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments

Propaganda

Certain ideas that may involve misleading messages designed to manipulate people and persuade opinions

Platform

A series of statements expressing the party’s principles, beliefs, and positions on election issues

Interest Groups

A group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to promote their beliefs

Canvassing

To go door to door talking to potential voters.

Political Action Committees (PAC) 

Political organization established by a corporation, labor union, or other special-interest group designed to support candidates by contributing money 

Grassroots

A movement started by citizens usually at the local level.

Political Party

An association of voters with common beliefs on how the government should be run.  They often influence the decisions made by elected officials.

Third Party

A party that challenges the two major parties:  they rarely win elections but take votes away from the 2 main candidates.

Veto

Right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.

Pocket Veto

Indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.

Pigeonhole

To set a congressional bill aside in committee without considering it

Filibuster

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor in order to delay proceedings and prevent a vote on a controversial issue.

Cloture

A procedure for ending debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate. A _____ vote requires 3/5 of the Senate.

Bicameral

Two-houses in a legislature. (In the US Congress, the two houses are the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Executive Order

A rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law.

Commerce

The activity of buying and selling, especially on a large scale.

Diplomat

An official representing a country abroad.

Impeach

To charge (the holder of a public office) with misconduct.

Reprieve

To cancel or postpone the punishment of (someone, especially someone condemned to death).

Bureaucracy

A system of government in which important decisions are made by officials rather than by elected representatives.

Burden of Proof

The obligation to offer evidence that the court or jury could believe beyond a reasonable doubt

Prosecution

The institution and carrying on of legal proceedings against a person (a District Attorney is a prosecutor)

Defendant

Criminal case- the person that is accused of the crime. Civil case- group being sued.

Subpoena

A document that requires its recipient to appear in court as a witness or to submit evidence

Grand Jury

A group of citizens that decides whether there is sufficient evidence to accuse someone of a crime

Petit Jury

A group, usually of 12 persons, impaneled to determine the facts and render a verdict

Indictment

A formal charge by a grand jury

Acquittal

A vote of not guilty

Appeal

Power to review of a case or issue in a higher court

Remand

To send a case back to a lower court to be tried again

Plea Bargain

Agreement that permits a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge instead of pleading not guilty to a more serious one

Delinquent

Typically a young person that is characterized by a tendency to commit crime; a person who habitually commits offenses

Preponderance of Evidence

Proof in a civil case

Plaintiff

A person or party filing a lawsuit

Restitution

Reparation made by giving an equivalent or compensation for loss, damage, or injury caused; indemnification

Economics

The study of choices by individuals, businesses, and regions based on a world of  limited resources 

Specialization

When people, businesses, or regions concentrate on goods or services that they can produce better than anyone else 

Globalization

The interdependence of the world's cultures, brought about by cross-border trade in goods and services

Incentives

The drive or motivation to act, work, save, or invest 

Industry

A group of businesses that produce a similar type of good or service

Gross State Product (GSP)

A measure of the total value of all goods and services produced within a state (the state-level equivalent of GDP)

Manufacturing

The process of transforming component parts (including raw materials) into finished goods, ready to be sold to customers

Information Technology (IT)

The use of systems, such as computers or telecommunications, for storing, retrieving, and sending information

Agriculture

The practice of growing crops and raising animals

Sole proprietorship

A business owned and operated by a single person 

Corporation

Type of business organization owned by many people; must have a charter issued by the state government 

Partnership

A business owned by two or more people